Ugly personnel decisions on the way

122 posts in this topic

right now we can't afford a good free agent or two...in fact, we can't even afford our

draft picks next year....some players won't be Panthers next year that we thought would.

Gamble, Beason, even Smitty?

from the Observer...

"The next GM will have to make some critical personnel decisions right from the jump. The Panthers have nearly $130 million committed toward next year’s salary cap, according to ESPN.com.

That figures to be at least $5 million over the still-to-be-determined cap and does not include salaries for next year’s draft class and any free agents the Panthers might sign – outside the organization or their own.

Whoever replaces Hurney undoubtedly will have to cut a couple of high-priced veterans and restructure other contracts. The Panthers heard from teams interested in running back DeAngelo Williams – who will count $8.2 million against next year’s cap – at the trade deadline, but didn’t get much in the way of offers.

With Rivera’s staff committing to Jonathan Stewart as the starter, Williams seems like an expensive complementary piece. But the next staff – if Rivera is fired – might have a different vision for the backfield.

Cornerback Chris Gamble has a cap number of $10.9 million next year and will be coming off shoulder surgery. Though the Panthers are not well-stocked at corner, Gamble’s age – he will be 30 before next season – and cap number make him a prime candidate to be cut or restructured.

Linebacker Jon Beason is in a similar position after missing most of the past two seasons following surgeries. The difference: Gamble has two more years left on his deal, Beason ($9.5 million cap figure in 2013) has four.

The next GM will have to take a long look at the contracts of linebacker James Anderson ($4.4 million), left tackle Jordan Gross ($11.7 million), receiver Steve Smith ($5.7 million) and defensive tackle Ron Edwards ($3.3 million) and see what direction he wants to go.

The Panthers face the cap crunch in large part because of their spending spree following the lockout in 2011, when they re-signed six of their core players with contract extensions totaling $152 million in guaranteed money.

But with the Panthers starting over in some respects, that core is aging and will have to be reconstituted."

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Chris Gamble I feel is a guy who is going to be traded. If he didn't get hurt this year, the Patriots probably would have called us about him. I'm wondering if some of these guys can restructure to save us a great deal of cap space? I wouldn't mind having D-Will back next year, as long as we got a competent fullback and ran a pro system. I'm just afraid DeAngelo will go somewhere else, and just straight up flourish. (The Colts will probably be the first team that signs him if he hits the market.)

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Beason and Williams are untradable w/ their contracts. We are just going to have to pick and choose....will flat out have to cut a few. Take a hit.

Have to keep Beason force him to restructure and play OLB. He should considering what we paid him for nothing in return w/ that fat deal. Cut Williams, probably Gamble and Godrey. Gross and Smitty should retire, that would be best for everyone.